One consistent element in the art I have done since I was a boy is monsters.

GERR!

Friday, November 02, 2007

Dia De Los Muertos

Living in Tejas is most convenient for learning about Mexican culture and tradtions. The most intriguing, to me, is Dia De Los Muertos, or Day of the Dead.

In my Polish-American family (with southern Baptist sprinklings around the edges), the dead were all but forgotten--almost taboo. Perhaps that's why I find the idea of Dia De Los Muertos so intoxicating. It seems like a good idea to take a day to remember and celebrate our ancestors..to believe, for just one day, that the souls of the departed return to eat, drink, and be merry again.

So in the spirit of Dia De Los Muertos, my virtual altar to remember my dad, Chester, would include:

-A blend of Old Spice and motor oil incense to help him find his way back home

For many people, monsters and creatures of all sorts are weird things for someone to enjoy; but the dual nature of our personalities and learning to deal with fear and what is uncontrollable in our lives is common to us all. Humor is a useful tool for that purpose.